Honor 300 Ultra review
This suits someone who values a bright, large display for outdoor use, appreciates the convenience of multiple charging speeds, and shoots enough to benefit from 3.8x optical zoom without overcommitting to a bigger camera system. Anyone specifically chasing the best night mode, the longest battery life, or the most durable frame should cross-shop other flagships in this price bracket, which often deliver more in those areas.
This review is based on Honor’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Honor 300 Ultra, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Honor 300 Ultra is a confident all-rounder with a bright AMOLED screen, snappy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance, and a capable 3.8x optical zoom that delivers genuine value at €550. It does little dramatically wrong, but also nothing that stands out as a clear reason to choose it over rivals in its price bracket.
Design & build
The Honor 300 Ultra is a svelte phone—8.2mm thick, 198g—that trades the bulk of rival flagships for a profile that feels deliberately minimal. The dual glass option and eco-leather variant give choice, though neither feels especially durable under real use. IP65 water resistance handles rain and splashes but stops short of a shower; most phones in this price tier now offer IP68 (full submersion), so this feels like a minor step backward. The flat edges and narrow bezel give it a clean, professional look, but the thinness comes at a handling cost: it's genuinely harder to grip confidently than a phone with a bit more girth, which matters if you're taking photos one-handed.
Display
At 6.78 inches with a 90.4% screen-to-body ratio, this is a big phone with a screen that dominates. The 1224 x 2700 resolution lands at 437 ppi, which is sharp enough that text and icons don't pixelate. What actually matters here is the 1200 nits peak brightness in high brightness mode: outdoors in direct sun, this screen remains legible where many rivals fade to a mirror. The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and gaming smooth, and the AMOLED color accuracy is solid for everyday use. The Giant rhino glass is an upgrade over standard Gorilla Glass in terms of scratch resistance, though real-world durability only shows over years of use. For a phone this size and price, the display is a genuine strength.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is flagship silicon at the time of this review. Paired with 12GB or 16GB of RAM, it powers heavy multitasking, gaming (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile at high settings), and video work without lag or thermal throttling. Day-to-day responsiveness is snappy: apps launch instantly, animations are smooth, and switching between tasks is seamless. The Adreno 750 GPU keeps up with demanding 3D workloads. This is not an area where the Honor 300 Ultra makes compromises; it performs at the level rivals at this price expect.
Software
MagicOS 9 running on Android 15 offers a clean, responsive interface without the bloat of some rivals. Honor's customization layer is lighter than Xiaomi or Samsung's, which means faster updates and fewer pre-installed apps to uninstall. The feature set includes satellite messaging via BDS (China-focused), stereo speakers, and standard connectivity (Wi-Fi 7, 5G SA/NSA, NFC). The software experience is straightforward and gets out of the way, which is exactly what you want at this price.
Camera
The 50MP f/2.0 main sensor is competent in good light, delivering sharp shots with natural color and strong detail. The optical image stabilization helps low-light captures hold steady, though the actual night-mode performance isn't exceptional compared to rivals that use larger sensors or heavier computational processing. The real story here is the 3.8x optical telephoto: it offers genuine framing flexibility without resorting to digital crop-and-upscale. The 12MP ultrawide at 112 degrees is standard fare—useful for landscapes but nothing special. The 50MP f/2.1 selfie camera is serviceable for video calls and portraits. Overall, the camera system is balanced and practical rather than impressive; it won't outshine rivals at the same price that lean harder into night mode or macro performance.
Battery & charging
The 5300 mAh battery delivers about one full day of moderate to heavy use, which is standard for a phone this size. The headline feature is 100W wired charging: from empty to 100%, expect roughly 15 to 25 minutes depending on temperature and charger efficiency. The 80W wireless charging reaches 39% in 15 minutes, making it genuinely useful for quick top-ups on a compatible pad. Reverse wireless charging is included but rarely matters in practice. The combination of wired and wireless speed is a real convenience, though you'll need to buy the charger separately.
Value & verdict
At roughly €550, the Honor 300 Ultra sits in a crowded mid-to-upper segment where Xiaomi, Realme, and OnePlus all compete hard. It offers no transformative feature that justifies a step up from a €400 phone—the camera is solid but not superior, the performance is flagship-class but so are many cheaper rivals, and the design is slim but less comfortable as a trade-off. What it does is execute competently across the board: a bright screen, fast charging, and reliable all-day performance without obvious weak points. It's a safe choice for someone who wants a no-surprises phone with a few thoughtful details (the zoom range, the screen brightness) rather than a phone that excels at one thing. The thin profile and lighter weight appeal to specific tastes, but don't assume they're universally preferable—they make the phone genuinely harder to hold for extended shooting.
Verdict
This suits someone who values a bright, large display for outdoor use, appreciates the convenience of multiple charging speeds, and shoots enough to benefit from 3.8x optical zoom without overcommitting to a bigger camera system. Anyone specifically chasing the best night mode, the longest battery life, or the most durable frame should cross-shop other flagships in this price bracket, which often deliver more in those areas.
- Bright, sharp AMOLED display (1200 nits HBM, 437 ppi) stays readable in direct sunlight and handles fast scrolling smoothly
- Optical zoom (3.8x) on the telephoto avoids the megapixel trap; actual framing flexibility beats software cropping
- 100W wired charging tops the battery in under 20 minutes; 80W wireless charging at 39% in 15 minutes gives real flexibility
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 handles heavy workloads and current games without throttling
- 50MP main camera shoots well in good light but lacks the computational or sensor edge rivals at this price offer in shadows and night mode
- 8.2mm thickness and 198g weight make it noticeably heavier and slimmer than typical flagships; feels awkward to hold for extended periods
- IP65 water resistance covers splashes but not submersion; no better than budget phones at the same protection level
Honor 300 Ultra Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2024, December 02 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.78 inches, 111.5 cm2 (~90.4% screen-to-body ratio), AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR, 1200 nits (HBM), 4000 nits (peak) |
| Resolution | 1224 x 2700 pixels (~437 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/3.0, (periscope telephoto), 1/2.51", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.8x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 112˚ (ultrawide), AF |
| Selfie camera | 50 MP, f/2.1, (wide) 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth) |
| Battery | 5300 mAh |
| Charging | 100W wired, 59% in 15 min80W wireless, 39% in 15 min5W reverse wiredReverse wireless |
| Software | Android 15, MagicOS 9 |
| Dimensions | 163.8 x 75.3 x 8.2 mm (6.45 x 2.96 x 0.32 in) |
| Weight | 198 g (6.98 oz) |
| Build | Glass front, glass back or silicone polymer back (eco leather) |
| Durability | IP65 dust tight and water resistant (low pressure water jets) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
Honor 300 Ultra FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the 300 Ultra support 5G?
Yes. The 300 Ultra supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the 300 Ultra use?
The 300 Ultra runs on the Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm).
What display does the 300 Ultra have?
A 6.78 inches, 111.5 cm2 (~90.4% screen-to-body ratio) AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR, 1200 nits (HBM), 4000 nits (peak), 1224 x 2700 pixels (~437 ppi density).
How big is the 300 Ultra battery?
The 300 Ultra has a 5300 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 100W wired, 59% in 15 min80W wireless, 39% in 15 min5W reverse wiredReverse wireless.
Does the 300 Ultra have NFC?
Yes, the 300 Ultra has NFC.
Is the 300 Ultra water resistant?
The 300 Ultra carries a IP65 dust tight and water resistant (low pressure water jets) rating.
Does the 300 Ultra support a microSD card?
No, the 300 Ultra does not support expandable storage.
Does the 300 Ultra have a headphone jack?
No, the 300 Ultra does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the 300 Ultra isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
Magic6 RSR
Magic7 RSR
300 Pro
400 Pro
Galaxy S24 Ultra
